Furnace or apparatus for electrically making products and means for heating discharging products.



1. H. REID.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Ah w/ x a M Mm I Rm N MM Imwn DISCHARGING PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJZ. 1915 FURNACE 0R APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY MAKING PRODUCTS AND MEANS FOR HEATING m: mwms FEYERS ca. rnomuma. wAsmmzrurv, o, c,

UNITED STATES ..PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HENRY REID, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO PATENTS PROCESS COMPANY, A CORPORATTQN OF MAINE.

FURNACE OR APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY MAKING PRODUCTS AND MEANS FOR HEATING DISCHARGING PRODUCTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22 1917.

Application filed August 12, 1915. Serial No. 45,127.

of a furnace or apparatus of electrical opcrating naturehaving a means in combination for heating, fusing, or maintaining fusion of substancesbeing discharged and comprises the combination with furnace or electrical apparatusofa heater so arranged or disposed as to heat or 's'iipplyheat to the material being discharged, such aS molten substances from the" tap -hole,.and specifically includes induction means for accomplishing theresult.

In electric furnaces particularly of the carbon lined type great diiiiculty is experienced in tapping out the molten products by reason of the fact that the product cools or chills and plugs or chokes up the taphole or discharge and the frail earbon lin ing is broken in an attempt to break through or remove the obstruction. One of the principal objects of the present invention therefore is to provide means for overcoming or obviating this serious difficulty.

its an illustration of the invention and manner in which it may be employed an apparatus or furnace especially adapted for "distillation or sublimation and making of carbid together with means for securing the productwill be taken reference being directed to the accompanying drawing in which, 7

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical diagrammatic view partly in section of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig.2'is a cross section on the linemw Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference represent corresponding parts in the various views.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates an electric furnace in Which sub- 16 and -17.

. cal conductor.

stances are treated or converted by heat or electrical action, comprising the receptacle 2 provided with a lining 3 and supported by supports 4 by means of the bearing extensions 5.

The receptacle 2 is provided with a top or cover 9 through which pass the electrodes 10 and 11, which are held or'supported by thesupportszor devices 12 and 13 by means of the'insu'lati on guides 43 and 44, the said electrodes passing through the cover- 9 and being provided with the insulation sleeves From the cover extends the outlet 18 provided with the fluid seal 19 and the revolving or movable damper or valve control 20.

The upper section of the cover 9 is also provided with a sealed feed inlet 21, the removable seal of which may be removed and replaced for supplying ingredients to the apparatusand closing the apparatus during the operation thereof.

The lower section 2 and the upper section 9 are secured togetherby the clamps 22 and 23. The lower section 2 of the converter is provided with a means 24 for making an electrical connection to the col'iverter of a character opposite'to that of the electrodes 10 and 11, and which means includes a securing'and releasing member for the electri- Theoutlet 18 with its seal 19 communicateswith aremovable conduit 25 operating through the swinging joint 26. This conduitcommunicates with an outlet 27 leading to the reservoir 28 and through which the condensed volatile or volatilized products pass to the same, the reservoir 28 being provided with an outlet 29 for the permanent gases wherebysaid gases are con veyed to a reservoir (not shown).

The reservoir 28 for the distillate is provided with the outlet 31 controlled by the valve 33 at the lower part thereof, and the outlet 30 controlled by the valve 32 at a higher point for the removal of lighter products when the reservoir contains water.

The reservoir 28 is also provided with the legs or supports 34:.

The receptacle 2 with its lining 3 is provided with the outlet or tap-hole 7 and the plug or closure 8 therefor, and the carbon contact base or hearth 6. The wall of the discharge opening or tap-hole is also provided exteriorly with a spirally wound fireproof insulated wire forming the induction core 54 of such character that it will carry a current around the walls of the tap-hole and induce a current therein or therethrough and heat the material when being discharged and maintainits fusion, the construction being such that the induced or secondary current passes through the molten material as it is discharged and circulates through the outer shell or casing 55. The induction coil 54 is inclosed in a fireproof insulation 56 such as asbestos and surrounded by a con-- ductive housing 55 which is provided with the removable flange 57 which is secured by the bolts 58 and is providedwith the electric contacts 59 and 60.

The cover'9 is also provided with the elec trode feed and regulating motors or devices and 36 which are in circuit with the reversing switch (not shown). The shaft of each motor or electrode regulating device provided with thespiral thread or worm 37 and 38, which engage the cog wheels 39 and 40, thereby revolving the screw bearing rods 41 and 42 which causes the guides 43 and i 44 to'travel in an upward or downward direction, according to the direction. of the revolution of the rod and simultaneously. carry the electrodes 10 and 11 in like di rectionfor feed or withdrawal to or from the furnace, the guides being supported by the carrying rods 13 and 12 passing through the sleeves 47 and 48. and 11 are attached or secured to the guides 43 and 44 by the binding screws or fixation devices and 46. i

The electrodes '10 and 11 are in contact with the electric conductors 61 and 62 and the converter or furnace with the conductor 63 whereby the electrodes and receptacle or converter are brought into electrical circuit through the material in the converter between the electrodes and the furnace lining 3 er hearth 6. The heater or conductor actuated discharge is in communication with the circuit supply 49 through the conductors 53 and transformer 52. The switches 50 and 51 serve to make and break the circuit and current supplied to the electrodes and receptacle or furnace and the supplemental inductive tap-hole heater respectively.

The furnace being cold the electrodes 10 and 11 are lowered into contact with the hearth 6 thus establishing a circuit of electric current upon the closing of the switch 50, and as the electrodes are withdrawn an electric arc is produced or established between the electrodes and the lining 3 and hearth 6 of the receptacle, or furnace 1 at which time the material to be acted upon is introduced through the opening 21 and the apparatus closed by securing or closing the opening.

Current is. then passed through the in- -The electrodes 10' gredients in the furnace heating it or act ing upon it until the volatile constituents or products are evolved and the final residual product results, at which time when it desired to withdraw the molten materials from the apparatus electric cu rrcnt is passed through the inductive heater communicating in heat operating distance to the tap-hole or discharge member 7 by closing the switch 51 whereby the transformer 52 supplies current to the wires or conductors 53 and thence through the contacts 59 and 60 around the inductive coil 54 thereby heating the materials in the tap-hole or discharge opening 7 and maintaining fusion of the material which is being discharged, upon opening the furnace by removal of the plug or 010 sure 8.

As an example of the process the production of calcium carbid from bituminous coal and lime (calcium oxid) and the recovery of the tar or volatile products evolved during the action of electricity on the com position will be taken.

Pulverized bituminous coal and calcium oXid in proportion of one hundred pounds of bituminous coal to 150 pounds of calcium oxid (pulverized) are thoroughly mixed and introduced into the receptacle 2 through the opening 21. It is advisable to mix with this composition about of powdered coke in order to reduce the initial resistance and provide a means for starting the passage of the electric current through the mass at a comparatively low voltage .and also provide'a means for initially heating the mass through the agency of electricity and also provide a means for ren-' dering the mass more or less porous so that the volatile products produced by the action of heat may be more readily evolved and discharged from the miXture. When the mixture has been introduced into the apparatus the supply opening 21' is sealed and a current of electricity passes through the mixture from the electrodes 10 and-11 to the receptacle 2 by means of said electrodes and the contact 24 of the apparatus. As the current passes through the mixture of bituminous coal and lime the heat generated by the resistance of the ingredients causes the evo' lution and distillation of various volatile products which condense and accumulate in reservoir 28 from which they may be recovered and the different ingredients afterward secured by fractional distillation or the electric current may be so regulated that each individual volatile ingredient produced by the destructive distillation of the hydrocarbon in the converter 2 may be individually and separately secured during the process of destructive distillation, the temperature being regulated by moving the electrodes through the insulating sleeves 16 and 17. When all the volatile products have been distilled off the residual non-volatile carbonaceous matter associated with the lime is heated to a high degree through the passage of electricity and thereby converted into calcium carbid which is finally removed from the receptacle 2 by removing the tap-hole plug 8, whereby the carbid is discharged while maintained in a molten condition by the heat induced by the induction current passing through the induction coil 5-1. The outlet 18 is provided with a damper 20 which may be regulated by revolution to suitably check the outflow of volatile product-s evolved during the process of operation. The conduit '25 may be raised and disconnected from the fluid seal device 19 which seal is preferably maintained by means of a low fusible metal.

By exposing the solid hydrocarbon, such as bituminous coal to the action of controlled electric currents, the internal resistance will produce intense heat so that the substance will be transformed throughout in a regular and complete manner and will yield a larger percentage of products of more uniform character than in processes devised hereto, so that the lighter hydrocarbons are not disrupted or cracked and such compounds as ammonia are more largely produced and secured without decomposition.

The non-volatile carbonaceous residue remaining after the evolution of the more volatile and less-carbon-containing products produced comprises very heavy hydrocarbon which reacts with a metal oxycompound, such as calcium carbonate or oXid, at elevated temperatures and produces calcium carbid directly from the coked lime which is bonded with and by the heavy nonvolatile hydrocarbon.

The various volatile products produced by the action of electricity through the electrical resistance of the carbon-yielding substances operated on may be produced and collected as a composite composition and separated from' each other. by subsequent fractional distillation or each may be secured as it is produced by maintaining the electrical condition necessary and capable of producing each independently until each has been evolved and the character of electricity supplied altered to yield a next progressively higher carbon-containing product, whereby the products may be directly obtained separate from each other.

By employing internal heat by electrical action, a more perfect and controlled transformation of the material acted upon into the product desired may be accomplished and the character of the product uniformly maintained without contamination, and also the yield of any individual product desired increased over that secured by any of the means of the prior art, which depends upon the application or employment of externally applied heat for bringing about the destructive distillation and fractional separation of familiar carbonaceous substances, and the production of similar products.

As the conductivity of the mass acted upon increases by reason of the increasing non-- volatile carbon residue, the electrical current is correspondingly regulated to maintain a uniform and desired temperature. The conductivity of the initial charge may be augmented by associating the carbonaceous substances, to facilitate the starting of the operation by inducing internal heat, through out the mass, whereby the transformation and evolution of volatile products may be obtained in the interior in an outward direction, thereby enhancing the porosity of the material and discharge of volatile product produced without decomposition.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the prod not in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

2. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying resist ance, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

3. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying "volatilizing points, means for supplying material to be acted upon, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

t. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying resistance, means for supplying material to be acted upon, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

5. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points, a product separator, means for securing the desired product sepa rately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

6. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying resistance, a product separator. means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintain ing the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

7. An apparatus for producing and seouring fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with an attachable and a detachable condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical. circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

8. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided. with an attachable and a detachable condenser, electrodes therein, means for bring ing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying resistance, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

9. An apparatus for producing and se curing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacleprovided with an attachable and a detachable condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points, means. for supplying material to be acted upon, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining theproduct in a fluid condition at the point of dis charge.

10. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with an attachable and a detachable condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the elec trodes and the receptacle into an. electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying substances, means for supplying material to be acted upon, means for securing the desired product sep arately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

11. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with a condenser, electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlling the resistance actuating means, thereby yielding products having varying volatilizing points, a product separator, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

12. An apparatus for producing and securing fluid products from solid carbonaceous substances, which comprises a combination of a closed receptacle provided with an attachable and a detachable condenser,

electrodes therein, means for bringing the electrodes and the receptacle into an electrical circuit, means for altering the resistance between electrodes, means for controlhug the resistance actuating means, there by yielding products having varying volatilizing points and uniformly inducing and maintaining selective temperatures in substances of progressively varying resistance, a product separator, means for securing the desired product separately and successively during the operation of the process, and in duction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition at the point of discharge.

13. In an apparatus for making products electrically, the combination with the electrically actuated furnace or apparatus of a discharge member provided with induction means comprising an induced or secondary current for maintaining the product in a fluid condition therein.

14:. In an apparatus for making products electrically, the combination with an electrically actuated furnace or apparatus of a discharge member for the product with,

means for maintaining fusion of the discharging produots comprising an induced or secondary current.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HENRY REID. [L. s] Witnesses:

PHILIP Horn, L. HALSEA GRosmR.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

